Jellyfish Outbreak= Nature Out of Balance

So we’re seeing more Jellyfish around, but what does it mean? Experts say that driven by overfishing and climate change, this is a sure sign of ecosystems out of kilter.

“Jellyfish are an excellent bellwether for the environment,” explains Jacqueline Goy, of the Oceanographic Institute of Paris. “The more jellyfish, the stronger the signal that something has changed.”

“Jellyfish both compete with fish for plankton food, and predate directly on fish,” explains Andrew Brierley from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. “It is hard, therefore, to see a way back for fish once jellyfish have become established, even if commercial fishing is reduced.”